The Gap, a towering, jagged cliff near Australia’s Sydney Harbor, has the notorious distinction of being the spot where many people have gone to commit suicide. A simple invitation from a kindly stranger (“Why don’t you come and have a cup of tea?”), however, has thwarted numerous attempts. For 50 years, Don Ritchie has lived across the street from The Gap, watching for people, and to talk them off the ledge. Ritchie doesn’t do anything special. He simply flashes his warm smile, engages them in conversation, and invites them to join him for tea at his home. Sometimes, in our darkest places, we merely need the presence of a friend.
In Matthew’s account of Jesus’ crucifixion, the apostle takes care to describe the deep darkness that spread across the sky, shrouding the cross in eerie gloom (Matthew 27:45). As Jesus suffered during His final grueling hours, the sun was obscured by the blackness. It was as if the horrific event was draining every bit of light from the world. But the darkness would get worse.
As Jesus gasped for air, He cried out words carrying more pain than all the beatings and all the nails and all the mockery combined. Jesus exclaimed, “My God, My God, why have You abandoned Me?” (Matthew 27:46). The Apostles’ Creed says that after Jesus’ death, He descended into hell’s darkness. However, Jesus experienced the darkest place imaginable long before that. Jesus encountered utter aloneness, complete abandonment, when the Father left Him.
We’re all broken people trapped in dark places of fear, distrust, and loneliness. In order for Jesus to bring God to us, He had to embrace brokenness and endure darkness. Now, we’re never alone. Jesus is the friend who rescues us today and for all time.
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: Psalm 139:1-24
More:
Read Psalm 139:1-12. List all the places the psalmist mentions. Where is God in each location? Note particularly verse 12. How does God interact with the darkness?
Next:
What is the darkest place in your life right now? How does Jesus change your perspective?
eppistle on May 17, 2011 at 8:21 am
“Why does God allow so much suffering?” I think it’s the number one apologetic question that keeps people from becoming Christians – because it not only touches a person’s mind but also her heart. We can probably never give a satisfying answer to that question. But we can provide a good question in response: “Why does God endure so much suffering?” In other religions, God remains a safe distance from those who suffer. But in Christianity, God becomes a man who steps into our darkness and endures suffering with us (John 1:10-13) so that He could rescue us from the darkness (John 14:103). So why does God endure so much suffering? It’s because His love is stronger than the darkness (John 1:5).
winn collier on May 17, 2011 at 10:52 am
I think you’ve hit on the central truth – God suffers with us. That re-orients everything, even though it does not answer all our questions.
tom felten on May 17, 2011 at 2:09 pm
In his book “Unshaken”, Dan Wooley describes his three-day ordeal being trapped beneath six floors of rubble following the devastating earthquake that rocked Haiti. Injured and entombed in complete darkness, he describes experiencing the most intense and personal time of worship with God that he had ever experienced. Truly God is with us in all places.